The cargo hold of an aircraft or cargo compartment of another carrier presents a number of issues for those who design, install, maintain, and use them. However, many of these issues may be unappreciated by the countless people who ship their packages or travel onboard each day.
Taking the example of an aircraft cargo hold, the aircraft cargo hold is lined with a protective cargo liner. Known cargo liners are typically made of a phenolic glass liner material. As a result, the cargo liner can be delicate. Conventional cargo liners are very difficult to install. Moreover, they can be difficult to maintain in proper condition.
The cargo hold of a typical aircraft is defined by a supporting structure of beams and other structural members inside the aircraft. Panels are then attached to those structural members to form an enclosed space which will become the cargo hold. Conventionally, installers cut the panels from bulk sheet material. The panels are joined together at structural members, where the panels are fastened to the supporting structure.
This conventional type of installation proves to be very difficult and time-consuming. In addition to the panels being cut to fit between structural members, the panels must be cut to fit around light fixtures, fire and smoke detectors, and fire suppression agent dispensing nozzles. Cutting the panels to fit all these parameters must be carefully done and takes a great deal of time.
Once the panels are cut, attaching them to each other and to the supporting structure can prove to be an even more troublesome task. The panels are typically fastened to the structural members with scrivets or similar fasteners. Each fastener hole must be drilled and installed while holding the panels in place. This process is difficult on what will represent the floor and the lower walls of such a cargo hold. Moreover, the process is even more difficult in installing panels on what will represent the upper walls and ceiling of the compartment. Installers have to support the loose panels, drill holes, and screw in the fasteners, all potentially while reaching over their heads. The panels are composed of a flexible material which is difficult to hold in place, particularly while trying to support a panel flopping and drooping above one's head. This is difficult and tiring work, which presents a heightened chance for injuries ranging from getting debris in one's eye to straining one's back, neck, and other sensitive and important muscle groups. Clearly, such a process is very labor intensive and requires many labor hours to complete.
Once installed, at least two important issues remain. First, a cargo hold must be able to seal in smoke and fire suppression agents. In the event of a fire during flight, smoke must be sealed in to prevent it from reaching a passenger cabin and harming the passengers and crew. Further, while aircraft are equipped with chemical fire suppression systems which can extinguish cargo fires, the chemical fire suppression agents must also be contained because the chemicals also are potentially harmful to passengers and crew on-board. The smoke and fire suppression containment capacity of the cargo hold must pass rigorous initial and subsequent inspections. Thus, the process of sealing the edges of the panels to the supporting structure not only is labor intensive in installing the panels, but in maintaining the integrity of the panels and the cargo hold over time.
Other concerns stem from operational considerations of the cargo hold. Inner sides of the panels lining the cargo hold desirably are covered with a light-colored material to enhance light and visibility for those working in the cargo hold. Also, locations in the cargo hold are identified so it can be known what cargo is in which location in the cargo hold to facilitate unloading and transfer of cargo. Thus, once conventional liner panels are installed, they must be labeled to signify their location in the cargo hold. Labels are typically applied with an adhesive and sealed to the panel for durability.
Coloring and labeling of the liner panels presents at least three further concerns. First, cargo can strike the panels during loading, unloading, and in-flight shifting. This can result in the light-colored surface of the panels being marred, undermining the aesthetic appearance of the cargo hold. Second, similarly, cargo can strike the labels during loading, unloading, and shifting of cargo. This may result in the labels be damaged to the point where they cannot be read, or the labels may be torn completely from the panels. The labels then have to be repaired or recreated, and workers will be at least inconvenienced until the label is repaired. Third, before a customer takes delivery of an aircraft, the customer will inspect the hold and the location labels. Commonly, a cargo hold will not pass inspection if the walls of the cargo hold are marred or the labels are not satisfactorily and aesthetically applied.
Thus, there is an unmet need in the art for a cargo hold liner of an aircraft that involves simplified installation, that maintains integrity to contain smoke and fire suppression agents, and that durably bears compartment location information.